Her Majesty Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Bereng Seeiso says breast-feeding promotes a strong bond between mother and baby.

She was speaking at a National Breastfeeding celebration at Mafeteng Football ground on Friday. The Queen said, strong bonding between the mother and her child starts in the first hour after birth.

Her Majesty said, "New born babies should always be given priority to be breastfed as it helps the baby to grow healthy, while at same time protecting children from being attacked by diseases".

Speaking at same occasion, the Minister of Health and Social welfare, Dr. Mphu Ramatlapeng said the government is working hard to encourage mothers to breastfeed their newborn babies.

She however, said, from this year, "All expectant mothers will be tested for HIV/AIDS as a way of reducing mortality rate among children of zero (0) to five (5) years".

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization representative, Dr. Angela Benson, said high infant mortality is one of the challenges facing developing countries, including Lesotho. She noted that Lesotho has an infant mortality of eighty four percent (84%).

She regrettably said, "The high infant mortality and morbidity is mostly due to preventable causes, such as diarrhea, respiratory and ear infections".

She added that infants who are not breastfed run a higher risk of infant death syndrome in the first year of life.

The World Breastfeeding Week is marked globally every year with a specific theme identified by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA). This year's theme encourages mothers to breastfeed their infants during the first hour after birth.

SOURCE: LENA 03/08/2007